I would like to make mention of something that is not directly related to the topic. There were some albums/CDs that I loved the whole album or CD. But for a lot of albums and CDs, if not most, there might be four or five, or even just one song that I loved and after a once over of the rest of the songs I would just play that one song, over and over and over. Never got bored of it.
Ah man, how could I have forgotten Iron Butterfly? Those first two albums are about as bad as it gets for me. And for narcissistic self-congratulatory music making, few bands are as bad as was Vanilla Fudge (except perhaps Journey). Absolutely dreadful. I lost a lot of respect for Jeff Beck when he hired those two clowns---Bogart and Appice. They are the kind of players who give musicians a bad name. Absurdly tasteless.
For anyone who hasn’t heard it yet, the sole album by The Shaggs is a real trip. They were a three-sister garage band out of New Hampshire in the late 60’s. That album became legendary for the girls complete ineptitude, and the perverse sense of humor of the members of NRBQ lead them to re-released it in the 70’s. Oh, it’s bad. But not as annoying to me as the singing of Michael McDonald, Steve Perry, and Steven Tyler. Or the enormous pretentiousness of the "classically-influenced" music made by "classically-trained" musicians such as Emerson, Lake, and Palmer. In fact, pretty much all "progressive" music. What’s the matter guys---not good enough to make it into a professional orchestra, playing genuine Classical music?
Brian Wilson took the knowledge gained by studying music theory and composition to write great songs, not record Classical music with 3/4/5 "band" instruments, music that was written to be performed by an orchestra. Hearing "Pictures At An Exhibition" performed by a Pop group is torture to me---ridiculous and disgusting.
You all are wrong! I was in a rock band and trust me it was the worst!!! We couldn't even come up with a name, and used a Wollensak reel-to-reel from school for recordings. Awful. Kenny
I would say that many bands go through a lot of phases, from stoned soul, out of sight, to trying to recreate their former boogie and not quite ever getting there. Its understandable (because I would also) how some people could not like certain bands that they did not hear during the bands best years which are often their earliest.
With that in mind, IMHO, I would remove from the worst rock band ever list: Pink Floyd, Springsteen (Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out), Grateful Dead (Loved Anthem to the Sun), Dylan, Buffet, Rolling Stones, Grand Funk (Some Kind of Wonderful, I'm Your Captain), Led Zeppelin, Steve Miller (Your Saving Grace) and BDP24, I agree with you on Blue Cheer but I did get into "Summertime Blues" on whatever album it was. Kind of had to be there then for that one.
The nominations above covered most of the bases, but Yoko is in a class by herself. You really couldn't call it music, and she rendered some of Lennon's work unlistenable with her screeching.  Â
Singers are often what I find most annoying in Rock Bands, so Geoff's nomination of Guns 'n' Roses is a great one. My choices are Michael McDonald/Doobie Brothers, Steve Perry/Journey, and Steven Tyler/Aerosmith.
New thread for me, and though I haven't read them all (love Harold's nomination of Procol Harum, but for me it was with Matthew Fisher's departure, after which Robin Trower's guitar playing came to the fore, which ruined them for me), conspicuous by their absence is the worst of which I'm aware, Blue Cheer. P f*ck*ng U!
Deep Purple after Ian Gillan, so 1973 already Uriah Heep after great David Byron, Spring 1976 already Blue Öyster Cult after Albert Bouchard Procol Harum after B.J. Wilson Black Sabbath after Ozzy Osbourne and especially WITH Ian Gillan Queen after 1976Â
Very special nominations: 1) Yes without Jon Anderson 2) Boston without Brad Delp
Kiss Rolling Stones Dylan Springsteen Aerosmith Styx after 2nd album punk Patti Smith New York Dolls most SANTANA after Gregg Rolie Journey after Gregg Rolie new wave Elvis Costello Sting GENESIS since Dude ska reggae most metal death metal LOL
I chuckle at some of the responses, as I remember, for some odd reason, one of the Lp's I bought in 1970 was Black Sabbath, "Paranoid". Can't listen to it today.
I also have in my Lp collection many of the bands mentioned, plus more that should be listed in this thread, but haven't yet. Do they get air time? No. Will I get rid of them? Probably not. I have purchased many in bulk, and I know there is an Adam Ant in there, along with a Boy George, just two off the top of my head. Some day after I'm gone somebody will get a good laugh as they go through the collection and wonder just what on earth was wrong with that guy???!!!
Jack White is okay by me if he convinced Jimmy Page and The Edge to make a great movie with him. That's very good company.
Ascension to worst-ever R&R band should require a multi-part test, something like the Supreme Court's definition of pornography: (1) high bombast + (2) pretentious self-seriousness + (3) technical incompetence + (4)broad if ephemeral popularity. In my lifetime it's Grand Funk Railroad.
Many of the voters on here can't possibly be rock fans voting for bands like Zep, Black Sabbath, Dylan, Floyd, ACDC. If you don't like these then you don't like Rock - so quit giving input on a rock thread and go listen to your jazz or easy listening or whatever . . .
Nickelback is the worst rock band ever. KISS also really, really sucks.
Green Acres I think I would put Captain Beefheart in the avant garde catagory, as they were pretty experimental, although some their early stuff is pretty accessible. I would classify them as difficult rather than worst. His name was actually Don Vilet. He added the Van because he liked the way it sounded. And thanks for using the word dreck. What a great word. You gotta love Yiddish. Where would we be without words like dreck and schmick.
May I humbly submit Captain Beefhart, with all due respect to the recently departed Don Van Vleet.
As far as insipid lyrics go, I gotta put "...yummy yummy yummy I've got love in my tummy..." right up there. Thank god for AM transistor radios for shielding us from being able to hear such dreck full range.
Well that song while officially awful is both by a solo artist and a one hit wonder so I am not sure that exactly fits this thread but make no mistake that is a LOW LOW point in music for sure!
Has to be the band that did that horrid "Pina Colada Song". Remember that one with the lyrics "If you like Pina Coladas, and getting caught in the rain". That sends me running screaming from the room. I challange anyone to come up with a more vapid, insipid, inane song than that one. But then again there was also Archie Bell and the Drells and thet horribly awful song "Do the Tighten Up".
I dont know many who would say Floyd is MOST overrated, sure some think they are way overexposed but there is no doubt they made some fantastic music. But Kiss, Poison, and well to be frank most hair metal bands were laughable, video is to blame for many if not most terrible bands since its launch. Style over substance means we all lose, and lose BIG!
any band that has these two characteristics i hate 1. show must include flamethrowers 2. can not perform live. rock must have an audience to be authentic
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